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posted 5/24/2013 by
Jeremy Duff
other articles
by Jeremy Duff
The future is here, or at least Microsoft says that it is as we have now seen the Xbox One. Microsoft's plans for their next generation console were laid out for the world to see, and although we still have plenty more to learn with E3 just around the corner (June 11-13), some of our staff members put their initial thoughts of the new system into words. Below you will find some of the initial reactions of many of our staff members.
Please note that these reactions have been collected as more and more information has been released, therefore some of the questions and information proposed in these opinions have since been addressed and resolved by Microsoft.
Sean Cahill
There is a lot to like with the Xbox One. I love the look of it and how it meshes with today's home theater designs. It's sleek and doesn't have any kind of weird design. I'm not too keen on the name because I felt that a name like Xbox Infinity would've worked better, but I still think it's better than the Wii and Wii U when they were announced. It's a major upgrade in hardware and processing power and the design of the controller was relatively left untouched, which is definitely a good thing. The HDMI pass-through caught me by surprise a little bit, but if you're going to have a full entertainment device, then being able to integrate with not just a receiver for home theater, but with a cable box, makes sense.
I would've liked to see more of a presentation with games at the reveal, but I also understand when we're only weeks away from E3, and you don't want to tip your hand completely. Microsoft brought out the big guns in the form of EA Sports, Halo, and Call of Duty, showing that they do understand and know their audience. I am a little disappointed that there was no backward compatibility announced with the Xbox 360, but after the PlayStation 4 was announced to not be backward compatible, it wasn't a surprise.
People need to relax about the lack of games being shown at the reveal. This was one show that was an hour long focusing on the hardware and the entire gamut of what it represents. They have several months before launch to give us everything that we want about games, especially with E3 and GDC still yet to come this year. When grading the overall shows between the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, I have to lean towards Microsoft. They had hardware to show us, they showed off everything that they possibly could without giving away their trump cards, and left people wanting for more. Now we wait for what everyone wants to know: price point.
Nathaniel Cohen
I don't care about what it looks like (of course I do, really) or what its specs are (how many graphics
it have?). I want to know if it plays used games, is still playable if my Time Warner Cable broadband flakes out like it did last night for two hours for no apparent reason, and isn't designed to lure me into a trap where, once sprung, allows Microsoft to legally use my bank account as an ATM machine.
Having said that, I think it was smart of Microsoft to design a console that looks simple and understated enough to blend right in with all the other entertainment boxes people have to use and won't embarrass all the non-gamers who buy it as a media device. Surely there will be millions of those. I'm also thrilled by the tray-less disc drive. If there's one thing Microsoft has issues with, it's moving parts, so the fewer moving parts Xbox One has, the better.
Randy Kalista
First off, I like the name. Not Xbox 720. Not Xbox Loop. Not Xbox Infinity. Xbox One. It's as big of a middle finger to chronological numbering as the Xbox 360's name, because, for the second generation in a row, the number that comes after the word "Xbox" isn't a number at all--it's a concept, a metaphor. It comes from the idea (the hope, anyway) of making the Xbox your all-in-one entertainment solution, hence Xbox One. Unless you're still huffing Twitter's post-#XboxReveal high, then you might actually be calling it the "Xbone." What's in a name, right?
Looks-wise, I'm glad it isn't a toy anymore. Its clean lines, crisp corners, and half-matte-black and half-black-gloss finish leaves more to the imagination than the Xbox 360 which still looks like it's waiting to exhale, not to mention the original fatty LEGO Xbox. The Xbox One resembles pretty much every other fill-in-the-blank media contraption already sitting next to your TV, which is effective domestic camouflage. Microsoft's philosophy is to create a media device indistinguishable from every other media device; not only indistinguishable on the shelf, but, more importantly, in customers' minds. The Xbox brand will still be synonymous with video games, sure, but Xbox One wants to be my entire home theater real bad, and I just might let it.
There's a measure of confusion regarding whether or not the Xbox One must be "always on" (it won't be) or "on, like, once a day, maybe?" Either way, I've personally been always-online for a good ten years now. So, from my haughty place of privilege, unspeakable wealth and unwavering connectivity, it's time for me to stop worrying and love the always-on. I know this isn't the case for everyone, so you (honestly) have my sympathies if you're stuck in an internet dead zone or are saddled with Clearwire as your internet service provider or someone equally awful, but it's something I no longer have the time and inclination to rail against.
It's adorable that the Xbox One controller underwent 40 "innovations." Not sure I'd call "we moved the battery pack around a little bit" an innovation, but there you have it. I hear the new rumbling trigger buttons are awesome, since video games are and will continue to be trigger-happy little buggers. And tires around the thumbsticks will help me out since that's where my thumbs' contact points are. I don't see a Share button, a la PlayStation 4's new controller, but it sounds like the pieces are coalescing to make gameplay footage easy to share too. I'm for it. Taking pictures of my TV with an entry-level Windows Phone in a dim living room, needless to say, doesn't create top-shelf photos for uploading.
I'm waiting for the dust to settle, also, on this "used games fee" thing or non-thing, as it were. If Vice President of Microsoft Phil Harrison, Lawrence "Major Nelson" Hryb and "JB" from Xbox Support aren't on the same page, then I don't know what to say. It's obvious Microsoft is still exploring its options. But I'm not a DINK anymore: I'm not Double Income, No Kids. I am, in fact, Single Income, With Kid. That means I either rent games, or I don't get to play them at all. That's the economic reality I live in right now. All that earlier talk about my place of privilege and wealth? All lies. Connectivity, yes. Wealth, no. I can't drop 60 dollars for a game on release day like I used to. Heck, if my hunch is right, I won't be able to drop 70 dollars on the Xbox One's upcoming games, since I'm anticipating a years-overdue price hike for console games. Can't afford all that. But I can afford to rent a game for a buck or two at a Redbox and have a lovely evening, so that's the info I'm really waiting on. If there's going to be some extra game-rental fees, that's a near-dealbreaker for me. Either that, or I get real cozy with budget-minded Xbox LIVE Indie games, but it's going to be a pricey machine to get stuck playing Minecraft clones on. And with the mass exodus of indie developers, dropping XBLA like it's hot--due to Microsoft's "high-friction" requirements for getting on the platform--I may have to follow the indies over to Sony.
I'm ready, though, for them to blow the lid off the games section at E3 in June. Fifteen exclusive titles, eight of which will be brand-new franchises? Yes. And please. Even if four of those exclusive titles are EA Sports--good. Great. Sports ball is popular, I get it, and I'm okay with that. Putting Remedy Entertainment on the case with Quantum Break, however, somewhat piqued my interest. If you've got Max Payne and Alan Wake on your resume, then we can talk. Remedy's got the cure. Silly that Quantum Break's trailer spliced in live-action footage, though. Unless the whole game is live-action footage and then that would be amazing. Just kidding. It won't be all live-action. Unless that ship running into the bridge was real. Which I'm pretty sure it was.
I want to know what "drive direct game computation" will accomplish. Microsoft says it means bigger games with more players, plus persistent worlds. If this unscrews the cap on massively-multiplayer online games for console, cool. But if it's just going to throw a few more bodies on each side of team deathmatch, then maybe I'm less aroused. Drive direct game computation might even be the architecture underlying Bungie's upcoming Destiny, but Destiny is even more of a mystery than the Xbox One at this point.
I'm only buying one console this next generation, and that console has to be more than a dedicated gaming platform. It has to, in fact, be that all-in-one device for my living room media. Xbox One is convincing me it can be that machine, but the PlayStation 4 is equally capable in that respect. From what I've seen so far, between Sony and Microsoft, I'm straddling the fence, and it's not comfortable.
Mike Mahardy
Microsoft's presentation seemed much more prepared than Sony's. Whereas Sony dedicated an hour to shaders and dynamic lighting, which is intriguing, Microsoft didn't bother with that.
But Sony showed off more of their actual games. Maybe Microsoft is biding its time with E3 just around the corner, but all they showed was a new trailer for Call of Duty: Ghosts. A dog is cool, and arm hair looks good in hindsight, but Microsoft's focus on sports and television and TV series--okay, Spielberg directing a Halo series is awesome--hopefully means the 15 games in development will be shown in a few weeks at E3.
Although I didn't see the reveal in person, the graphics looked great, even over a stream. Sports games were shown to exemplify the human side of things, with body animations and emotive faces, but I don't turn to my Xbox for sports. I turn to it for games. And that's where Microsoft came up short. Hopefully, my complaints will be stomped out next month, but as of now, the PlayStation 4 has my vote.
John Yan
I think the console, hardware-wise, has some hits and misses. I'm glad they moved to the x86 architecture and the AMD CPU/GPU should be a solid performer. While you can't change out the 500GB hard drive, at least you can use any hard drive of your own, provided it's in an external enclosure, as you can connect it to the Xbox One via the USB 3.0 port in the back. Microsoft has confirmed that this can be used in conjunction with the internal HDD and act as the same as well. If they got rid of the lag in the Kinect sensor, I'll be more apt to use it.
The TV functionality looks pretty slick and I dig what they are doing on that end. I'm glad it's designed the way it is. It fits into my entertainment center. It's going to need to be a little big to have the air flow necessary to cool the interior without relying on small, loud fans. If it truly does switch between TV, games, music, etc., all in a snap, then this is surely a box I'd love to use in the living room.
But, it's really about the games for me and we won't hear more about them until E3. I don't like that you have to register each game, though, and I certainly am not interested in paying for Xbox LIVE again. We'll know the full picture come E3, but for now, I think it's an okay device that has potential but also a few negatives that are pushing me towards the PlayStation 4 more.
Jeremy Duff
Personally, Microsoft didn't do anything to sell me on the new console with their presentation. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice entertainment machine based on what was shown, but that isn't what I want out of my next console. I am looking for my next gaming machine, and that isn't what was pitched at the reveal. Things could very well change come E3 when they show off that actual games component(s) of the system.
There are just so many things about the new console that I don't like at this point, based on its size, the stance on used games, and the complete abandonment of everything that I have sunk money into this current generation. I know that the PlayStation 4 isn't backwards compatible either, but at least Sony acknowledged the concerns and is working towards addressing it from a streaming standpoint. According to Microsoft, having an interest in backwards compatibility is not making progress--to which I totally disagree. I will be watching E3 very closely, but Microsoft has a lot of ground to make up in order to win me over for the next generation.
Charles Husemann
While I understand where a lot of the vitriol against the Microsoft press conference comes from, I do wonder why people are surprised by what Microsoft showed earlier this week. They announced ahead of time that they were holding the games presentation until E3 and then reaffirmed that twice during the first 20 minutes or so of the presentation. The presentation Microsoft gave this week wasn't aimed at gamers, it was aimed at a broader audience to show them the new advancements and technologies they are putting into the new unit.
Personally, I'm digging the look of the new box and, like Sean said above, it will fade nicely into the rest of an AV setup, which means it won't raise hackles from non-gaming significant others. As someone who buys their games new and doesn't resell them, I'm not terribly upset by the news around how MS is licensing the games. I just hope they take
my suggestion
from last year and allow gamers to scan a code in, rather than having to enter a 16-digit code when they buy a new game at retail. Then again, hopefully we won't have to buy games at retail stores anymore and can just download them when they are released.
Let's also be honest here, if you're not expecting the PlayStation 4 to have similar limitations to their games, then you're deluding yourself. This requirement is being driven by the game publishers, and I can't imagine Sony getting away without something similar.
There is a lot of cool stuff buried in the presentation, like how SmartGlass is baked right in and how fast the new Kinect unit seems to be. I'm still not 100 percent I'll be picking one up at launch, but I'll certainly be getting one once the second wave of games comes out.
What do you think of the new console based on everything that we have seen so far? Let us know in the comment section below.
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I don't like Obama, and as a rule I don't like black people because they vote for Obama. It has nothing to do with the color color of their skin. I also don't like people who have Obama bumper stickers on their car regardless of the color of the car. I wonder if UNA would kick a black guy off the team for using the word "cracker" or "honkey" or "hymie"?
Racially charged Obama tweet gets North Alabama player booted from team
A walk-on from the Division II North Alabama football team was removed from the program after posting a racist tweet about President Barack Obama during the president's address Sunday night to mourners in Newtown, Conn.
AL.com's Mark Heim reported that Bradley Patterson, the player in question, was an uninvited walk-on long snapper. He appeared to be upset that Obama's speech preempted NBC's "Sunday Night Football" between the Patriots and 49ers.
Patterson tweeted, "Take that [expletive] off the tv, we wanna watch football!" according to AL.com. His account has since been deleted.
The website Deadspin captured the tweet and noted that Patterson claimed he played for North Alabama, which prompted numerous people to tweet at the official Twitter feed of UNA Athletics. Athletic Director Mark Lindler tweeted this response back to numerous users:
Thx 2 everyone who brought the inappropriate tweet to our attention. @unaathletics does not condone. He is no longer a member of the team.
— Mark Linder (@UNAAthletics) December 17, 2012
Obama traveled to Newtown on Sunday to meet with families of the 27 victims of a massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School two days earlier. He also addressed the town at an interfaith vigil later in the evening.
It's funny when someone's best quality is that they lack melanin and makes them more susceptible to cancer. Just as it would show a person's short coming by thinking their best quality is they have a larger third leg because of their skin color (well this one isn't as trivial lol). My point is skin color means next to nothing. Many would say that black folks are more athletic, but have you seen Tebow? He's white. Some say white is right but most people thought Obama was the right man for the highest position in the country over many white men in the country and white is the majority.
Let's make one thing perfectly clear - whites and blacks have same body parts, functions, smells, thinking abilities, reactions, cravings, etc. We are one species. If not, we would not be able to breed with each other without the help of a science lab. And by the slightest of chances we were like a mule - if we did by chance procreate as different species, the offspring would not be able to reproduce.
Now apparently he's trying to appologize and said, I quote, "I ain't racist." If that's the case, you have a funny way of showing it, dude. *facepalm*
What happened to free speech? He has the right to say what he wants. I'm sure "as long as no one is offended " is not included in that right. I'm not saying it wasn't a stupid thing to do, I'm just saying he has the right to say what he wants.
When will the ever learn?
A little boy in a young mans body trying to be in his mind funny and relevant.
Can't change how this young man thinks.
Perhaps it will teach him though to think before he speaks.
Why the heck was he punished? Oh - the word used was "NICEGUY" - and he got punished for lying.
The Leonnard Skynard song "Alabama" sings of "we loved the governor", great music till it hits that verse. At that moment I search for other music, seeing Neil Young's point. Wallace's heartfelt philosophy is deeply entrenched and here is part of his Inaugural speech. " It is very appropriate that from this cradle of the Confederacy, this very heart of the great Anglo-Saxon Southland, that today we sound the drum for freedom as have our generations of forebears before us time and again down through history. Let us rise to the call for freedom-loving blood that is in us and send our answer to the tyranny that clanks its chains upon the South. In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever."
His viewpoint has always haunted me and yet I never feared him or any other hater.
he didnt complain when jerry sandusky was on, hmmm ?
Read the quote. Still waiting to see the racist part of it. I have said this about Presidential speechs before. About white AND black presidents...
i hear that 1 person said something racist, and i read thousands of people typing their hatred for all things southern. Who's got the real hatred here? the liberals motto is "magnify that which will drum up hatred for your fellow man." anyone who believes that obama and his followers is working for unity is a dumb buffoon who just fell off of a fertilizer truck and hit their head on concrete.
If the 'N' word is racist, demeaning and de-grading, nobody should be allowed to say it, if they do they need to be charged with racism, the word has no place in conversation of any race.
hes gotta tv in his trailer, impressive
Wow, and you thought it was stupid to use the N-word in a room full of black guys, tweet it and they will kick you off the team...even in Alabama.
A racist tweet from Alabama, Shocking!
What a winner!
"Free speech" applies to the government, meaning you can't be fined or arrested for what you say. It isn't a get out of jail free card, meaning there are no consequences whatsoever, or that private companies can't do what they want. Free speech doesn't mean your boss isn't permitted to fire your ass if you go up to him and call him a "stupid MF-er" to his face.
@Mrserichartman He has the right to say what he wants, and the university has a right to dissociate themselves from him.
First, the name of the song is "Sweet Home Alabama", not "Alabama"
And they're NOT praising Wallace, they're speaking AGAINST him.
"In Birmingham, they love the governor (boo boo boo)
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth"
Meaning -- not everyone in the South is a racist, we voted AGAINST Wallace, and we also shouldn't held responsible for what Nixon did.
It was also not a serious insult against Young -- he himself has covered the song, I believe.
(Note: I'm from Pittsburgh, not Alabama.)
@JohnDeCenzo I see, "freedom" IF only to your particular standards...
How about you read the quote again, only where it says "expletive" substitute another word that rhymes with "bigger". If you still doesn't get it, I can't help you.
@Mel Mel, if you fail to see how a comment about a black public figure which contemptuously applies a racial slur is racist, it's a wonder you've managed to turn this computer on.
Mel, would it help you to know that the offending word begins with 'N'? And if so, why would you ever use such a word about a white President?
@Mel Yeah, okay. I'm sure you looked at Bush and Clinton speeches and used a racially charged epithet to signal your frustration. Sure. Let me guess, some off your best friends are black too, right?
All we need now are the idiots who say "Freedom of Speech!" and signal just how little they know about that particular right.
The amount of butthurt in this country after the election is just hilarious. Sorry 'bout it.
@Aaron Staubs no need for Obama "followers" to work for unity when all they have to do is sit back and let your ignorance and hatred of all things "not white" come shinning through and the folks that have clue will just come and join the party:) Thanks for making our job easy. ..by the way, love the name calling..."dumb buffoon that fell of fertilizer truck"..that's funny!
@Aaron Staubs what a sock puppet comment.
@Aaron Staubs Aaron - you've gone and done the same. You've reacted to collective judgement (which is inappropriate and unintelligent) with your own collective judgement. You're demonstrably no better; you've proved it. Good luck growing up.
@bubbalooey Racism is not illegal . No one can be 'charged' with racism.
@Florencio Liberal comment from a northerner. Just as shocking...
@Florencio Racism is everywhere Florencio. Have you ever been to Alabama? Of all the 50 states, my opinion is Hawaii is the most racist. Yes, I lived there. Yes, I'm from Alabama. And I've been to 40+states and other countries as well. I get so tired of hearing people make comments about Alabama because of things that happened nearly 50 years ago. Alabama definitely has its flaws, but no worse than anywhere else. I'm not a racist and I'm proud to be from Alabama.
@stabmasterarson21 Greeting to all on this post. I am a proud member of many races. Mainly the human race. I pray for the day when we all accept each other for the people we are other than the color, creed, religion, etc... It's sad that it usually takes a catastrophe or natural disaster to bring people together. May God love, help and heal us all. Don't condemn an entire group of people for one man's comment. Pray for him and those like him.
@Michael14 @Mel Missed the n word. My apologies on that. That said, now if the black community that's so up in arms over it would have the SAME REACTION when other blacks use the exact same word...
@Joe57 Hey man I missed the N word. My apologies. Now that said, how many times have you had the same angry reaction torwards a black person using...THE SAME WORD??? Or are you one of those that calls us mean white folks racist for it, but says it's freedom of speech when black folks use it?
@Michael14 @Aaron Staubs He's just mad the fertilizer company said he'd need to pass the 2nd grade before they let him drive one of their trucks.
In some countries, actually you can be fined for using hate speech, I believe. Germany is pretty strict about neo-Nazism, for example.
@Greg @Florencio I am not a racist and I am proud to be from Alabama. I also know that it has no shortage of racists. There are many less than before,but they are still prevalent .The election and re-election of President Obama has increasingly brought it to the fore Racism and bigotry exist virtually everywhere in some form or another,to be sure. But Alabama and the rest of the South have a long way to go to shed the despicable history of Jim Crow. This fools tweet is proof and even more so the responses to it...."who the cap fits,let them wear it" There have been great strides made and there are many ,many people who refuse to abide the ignorance any longer.
@Greg @Florencio Greg - racism is a persistent human problem; absolutely. It's plainly false to suggest that every place on earth expresses the same general patterns and legacies of racism, though. After all, you contradicted that idea yourself by branding one particular place - Hawaii - as a particular hotbed of racism. When it comes to distrust and disapproval of African Americans by Caucasian Americans, it's a similarly demonstrable fact that the most persistent patterns of racism can be found in the traditional south. That's true whether or not Alabama is a state with other redeeming qualities, and it's true whether or not this player is representative of the Alabama you know.
@imonlyhuman54 @stabmasterarson21 Amen, amen. People need to look past the coat of paint which colors our body.
@Mel @Michael14 Beside the point, and shallow. Look - it's objectively the case that the "n word" should be retired from the English language, and yes, it's unfortunate that blacks use the word cavalierly in a way which complicates and muddies discussions over its use. That said - even though "n----r" as a term of camaraderie between blacks is distasteful, there's a gulf of difference between that use, and employing it as a contemptuous description of race. Is that a double standard? Absolutely - which is how language and culture work. It's one thing, for instance, for me to call my mother "stupid," while speaking to my sister; it's another entirely for a stranger on the street to do so. Context and intent matter. When a white person contemptuously applies the "n word" to a black person, the context and intent can't be compared (with a straight face, at least) to uses of the word which lack that context and intent. That you'd do so speaks to your obtuse thinking.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fatboy Slim
By Scott Feemster
Fatboy Slim is the name most often used by British DJ/producer/musician Norman Cook, and, under that name and other aliases, is one of the artists most responsible for the rise of electronic dance music into the mainstream consciousness in the 1990's and continuing on to the present day.
Norman Cook was born Quentin Leo Cook on July 31st, 1963 in Bromley, England and grew up in Reigate, Surrey. When still an adolescent, Cook was attracted to the burgeoning punk scene and started a local... Read More
- City Of Origin:
- Bromley, Kent, England
- Genre:
- Electronic-Dance
- Birthdate:
- 07/31/1963


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Adult-onset vitelliform macular dystrophy
Other Names for this Disease
- Adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy
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I am 11 wks today actually and I do not feel pregnant at all. My boobs arent sore anymore, I never had morning sickness, I'm not really urinating more either. Aside from being a little more hungry, being itchy and actually having the u/s photos I'd never know. This is my first baby too.Anyone else going through/gone through this? I could use any advice or words of wisdom.
Hi MaddieKate! Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I know exactly how you're feeling. I'm pregnant with my 2nd right now, and I have never experienced morning sickness. It's kind of disappointing in a way--my sister is pregnant as well, and was sick for so long and had tons of pregnancy symptoms while I had none. I'm a big worrier, too, so the whole 4 weeks between doctor appointments I was going crazy. I knew deep down that everything was fine, but I had no symptoms to back it up.
I'm now 22 weeks along and can feel my little girl moving all the time. My sister still talks about how jealous she is that I was never sick, and I can see how lucky I am now that I have other pregnancy pains that I got to skip the early symptoms.
Hang in there--you will feel pregnant eventually. Right now just enjoy the fact that you still feel like you (not the whale-like person you'll feel like by the end :) ).
Consider yourself blessed! Some women are lucky enough not to have strong pregnancy symptoms and that's okay. Just keep taking your prenatal vitamins and going to your doctor's visits and before you know it you will begin to feel the baby move. Once that starts, you will start to feel a LOT more pregnant!!! LOL! :) congratulations on your pregnancy and welcome to Strong Moms!
Congrats! I was the exact same way...never had any symptoms except this weird stomach thing were i never felt full or hungry but i didnt feel it till later. totally normal! the 4week waits are hard but enjoy before the aches come!
Hi MaddieKate, you're not alone. I'm almost 16wks pregnant with Twins and I really didn't start feeling pregnant until 15wks. At 15wks I knew something felt a little different. I would get some nausea during the first trimester but it was not what I expected. I expected to be sick part if not all day long and instead just certain foods for smells would make me nauseous. If I wasn't around it I was fine. I think we're very blessed for not having to experience such rough pregnancies.
What a blessing! So fabulous that you are not feeling sick or dealing with other unpleasant side effects. Usually somewhere between 18-22 weeks mothers feel their babies kicking. Many people I know say that the pregnancy really starts to become a reality at this point. You'll be picking out maternity clothes and looking pregnant by this point too, usually, and you'll have another ultrasound somewhere in this time frame to check on your baby's growth. You can find out the sex at this point too. Do you plan to do that? I hope all continues to be smooth sailing for you!
I am definitely planning on finding out the sex. My doctor is 90% sure it's a boy & girl (fingers crossed!) I have my next appointment on Oct 18th. I will know for sure then. I can't wait to feel those little flutters. I'll be 16wks tomorrow so hopefully not much longer.
Hi MaddieKate,
I am approximately 7-8 weeks along and have had the same feelings. I have only felt sick but haven't had morning sickness or anything. My breasts are tender but that's really the only thing. I went to the doctor for the first time last week and have been worrying that something's wrong for a while now. I'm anxious to see the baby on my ultrasound on the 2nd.
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Navy Students - Frequently Asked Questions
Below, you can find answers to the questions most frequently asked by Navy students. Select a question below to find out the answer.
Applying to UMUC
- How do I apply to UMUC?
- What do I need to be fully admitted into UMUC?
- Can I start my program at any time?
- Where can I learn more about placement testing?
- Who is my UMUC academic advisor?
- Will courses from other colleges transfer into UMUC's partnership degree program?
Registration for Classes
Payment of Courses
Course Materials
Taking Courses
Withdrawals from Classes
Student Agreements
- When will my grade be posted?
- What do I do if my grade has not been posted?
- Can I request an Incomplete for a course?
Charges and Fees
Other Academic Opportunities
Navy Student FAQs - Answers
How do I apply to UMUC?
Students can apply online at www.umuc.edu. Note, once the application is submitted an account will be created with UMUC and there will be a $50.00 non-refundable application fee generated. Students are responsible for paying this fee as soon as possible. Students can make payments online through MyUMUC or calling 800-888-8682. This phone number can also be used for questions regarding an account balance or student can send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
What do I need to be fully admitted into UMUC?
To be fully admitted to UMUC, students must submit all official transcripts from previous institutions. To be eligible for the military rate, students must submit documentation showing their current military status and how long they will be in that status. Please see Apply and Get Started for information regarding acceptable military documentation. Please review our UMUC admission pages for details on requirements for undergraduate and graduate admissions. In addition, the $50.00 non-refundable application fee must be paid in full. Students may register and attend courses while finishing their admissions process.
Can I start my program at any time?
Application for admission can be done at any time during the year. Classes start at various times during the year.
Where can I learn more about placement testing?
All undergraduate UMUC prospective students must take a writing and math placement test. Students may schedule a placement test through the Testing Center. Students may also look over the placement test Web page for more details.
Who is my UMUC academic advisor?
Military students will be assigned to the Military Team. When a student needs assistance with UMUC programs, policies, admissions, courses, requirements, and basic university administrative information they can contact their academic advisor. If a student has not been assigned an academic advisor they can contact the Military Advising Team at email@example.com or call 877-275-8682.
Will courses from other colleges transfer into UMUC's partnership degree program?
UMUC will accept up to 45 semester hours in transfer for an AA and 90 semester hours in transfer for a BS.
How do I register for classes?
All courses are available through MyUMUC. All registrations must be done through MyUMUC or by contacting a military advisor for assistance.
Are there any required courses?
For undergraduates, UMUC requires all students to take LIBS 150. This course must be taken within the student's first 18 credits of enrollment. Students must also successfully complete the WRTG 101 course, along with a second writing course (a communications/writing) and an advanced intensive writing requirement. Mathematic requirements are specific to the program the student is studying.
For graduate school, all students at UMUC are required to take UCSP 615 or UCSP 615A within their first 6 credits.
How do I use Tuition Assistance as payment for courses?
After registering for your courses with UMUC students will pay for classes by faxing your tuition assistance and credit card information (credit card number and expiration date) to our finance office at 301-985-7858 or 7502. Your Education Office can provide the appropriate tuition assistance documents for submission to UMUC. Your full payment needs to be received by the due date. Information regarding our monthly payment plan may be obtained by calling Academic Management Services at 800-888-8682.
If you find that you are placed on a waiting list for a class that is full, you may visit the UMUC Waiting List to check your options. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at 800-888-8682 or e-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
How do I apply for grants/financial aid?
At UMUC, you will find a variety of financial aid programs to suit your needs—from grants and scholarships (which do not require repayment) to loans (which must be repaid) and work-study programs. A number of factors determine eligibility for these programs, including financial need (as defined by the Department of Education), undergraduate or graduate enrollment, and grade-point average. For further information about any of the programs or to receive a financial aid package, please
e-mail the Financial Aid Office or call 800-888-8682.
How do I order my course materials?
Now that you have registered for your course(s) you will need to purchase your course materials. UMUC has linked with MBS Direct allowing student's to purchase their course materials online. To do this, first log into your MyUMUC portal and follow these step-by-step instructions. First, select the Student Portal Link located on the upper left hand side of your screen. Once this opens you will need to first confirm your course registrations and determine which course section(s) you have been placed into. This information will later be needed when selecting the correct course materials for purchase. To find this information select the My Academics link (again located on the left) and then Registration/Enrollments. When this section displays you will notice an Order Class Materials link will display. Select the MBS Direct link, which will then take you directly to UMUC's MBS site. Here you can select the icon to Order Books.
How will classes be delivered?
UMUC's distance courses link students with their faculty member and fellow students online through the World Wide Web. WebTycho is UMUC's comprehensive Web-based learning resource; it delivers and supports learning opportunities without the constraints of time and place. WebTycho can be accessed anytime from anywhere in the world via the World Wide Web.
How do I withdraw from a course?
Students will need to withdraw from courses using the MyUMUC student portal. Once logged into MyUMUC, simply click on My Academics, Registration/Enrollment and then again select Registration/Enrollment. The next step is to select which semester you are presently enrolled. At the bottom, you will want to click on Drop/Update Classes.
Please note: You may also contact a military advisor for assistance.
Students may want to take into consideration requesting an Incomplete for the course instead of withdrawing. This will give the student an extension of the time needed to complete coursework. Note, Incompletes can only be given if 60% of the course has been completed. In addition, Incompletes can only be granted by the instructor and cannot last longer than 4 months beyond the end of the semester. A letter grade of "I" will remain on the students' transcript until the Incomplete is satisfied. The instructoris responsible for submitting the grade change forcompletion of the Incomplete. If the process is not resolved after 4 months, the grade will automatically change to an "F."
Is there a refund for withdrawing from my class?
If a student withdraws from a course before the first day of class, the course is removed from the registration history and the Navy will not be billed. However, if the student withdraws from a course on the first day of class or after, there will be a percentage of tuition and the technology fee refunded. Note: Effective Spring 2011, the technology fee is refundable proportionate to the percentage of tuition refunded. Please review the policy regarding refunds for student withdrawals for details and amount of refund.
An example of the refund policy is if a student withdraws from a course within the first 6 days of the semester, after the first day of class, there will be a 75% refund of the tuition cost and technology fee. The remaining 25% of the tuition cost is the responsibility of the student to settle with UMUC. Students can make payments online through MyUMUC or calling 800-888-8682. This phone number can also be used for questions regarding an account balance or student can send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
What is a Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) Agreement?
A SOC (Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges) is an agreement between the university and the soldier that will protect your credits and degree program as you transfer from duty station to duty station. It also offers a way to select courses from many colleges within the SOC Network for guaranteed transferability to your UMUC degree plan. Military students who are pursuing an undergraduate degree at UMUC are eligible for a SOCAD agreement. Graduate students and students pursuing only a certificate are not eligible for a SOC agreement.
When do I receive a SOC Agreement?
If you have selected UMUC as your host institution, are pursuing an undergraduate degree plan, and have submitted all required official transcripts from previously attended institutions, all official score reports, and your Joint Services Transcript (JST) document, an official academic evaluation audit–also known as a Degree Audit–will be processed. The SOC agreement is processed following completion of the official audit and is based upon the audit.
Note: if you have not completed at least 24 credits at previously attended collegiate institutions (not including UMUC coursework), you will also need to submit your high school or GED transcript.
Please Note: For relocation students who have already been issued a SOC from Europe or Asia that SOC is still viable and will be honored stateside as long as there has been no 2-year break in enrollment and they are continuing with the same degree plan. We do not issue a new SOC stateside if their overseas SOC is still viable and there has been no change in their degree plan.
Also, updated SOC's are not issued. A new SOC will be issued following the completion of a new audit only when students change their degree plan (different major; adding/deleting optional minor; changing catalog year which changes degree requirements).
When will my grades be posted?
UMUC will submit all grades for courses completed within 14 days of the class end date.
Who should I contact if my grades have not posted?
After the 14 days, if a grade has not been posted in MyUMUC, the student needs to contact the instructor to see if they have submitted the grade. Note, if the student contacts the instructor via e-mail, they can send a courtesy copy to their academic advisor or to email@example.com as a means of record keeping.
Can I request an Incomplete for a course?
A student may request an Incomplete for a course through their instructor. This is an agreement between the student and the instructor of the course. This agreement can only be made if 60% of the course has been completed. In addition, the time allotted to complete the remaining coursework cannot extend past 120 days after the last day of classes. While the student is working on satisfying the remaining requirements set by the instructor, there will be an "I" posted for the students grade. If the student does not successfully complete the remain course requirements, or if incomplete goes beyond the 120 day time period, the "I" will automatically switch over to a "F" for the course grade.
Why did I get a letter regarding a balance due when I am collecting tuition assistance?
A student could receive a notice via e-mail or US Postal Service for a balance for a number of reasons. To reduce the chances of this occurring, we strongly suggest students to be proactive in their education by monitoring their accounts. This can be done through the MyUMUC portal.
Some of the common issues with balances are fees involving application for admissions, application graduation and transcripts request. At times, when registering for classes, the tuition assistance applied may not have been enough to cover the cost of the courses. This may be due to a change in tuition costs which can occur each semester. A student may also have the wrong dates on their tuition assistance form or the tuition is coming from a previous fiscal year and dates need to be changed.
For assistance, a student should contact Student Financial Services at 800-888-8682 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com. Also, a student may contact the Military Advising Team for assistance at email@example.com.
How do I apply for graduation?
Students may apply for graduation through the MyUMUC student portal. The student can simply, log into the portal, click on MyAcademics, and then Graduation. This will start the application process. Please note that there is a nonrefundable $50 processing fee that will be charged to your UMUC account.
How long will it take for me to receive my diploma?
Once all grades are posted and Student Affairs has reviewed each student's records who have applied for graduations, those who have been cleared for graduation will be outsourced for printing. The overall process can take a month and a half to two full months to complete.
Who should I talk to if I'm interested in Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)?
Students who are interested in ROTC should contact military advising at 877-275-8682 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


text:
Position: Outside Hitter
Height: 6-1
Weight: 155
Hometown/Residence: Poway, Calif./Poway, Calif.
Birth Date: May 25, 1989
College/Major/Grad Year: Stanford/Political Science/2011
Joined Team: January 2011
Most Notable
2013 - Pan American Cup (Gold)...USA Volleyball Cup...FIVB World Grand Prix (6th)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB Grand Champions Cup (Silver).
2012 - Pan American Cup (Gold).
2011 – Pan American Games (Bronze).
Did You Know
The Big Blurb
"My athletic career should have been over before it even started. I woke up one day when I was nine years old and couldn't walk. For seven months I was on crutches as I saw one doctor after another. None of them could find any way to break through the constant pain and I wasn't supposed to walk ever again. I made the choice to walk anyway, but I skipped over the part about getting better. Instead, I decided I wanted to be a volleyball player and I made the pain even worse. It's been over 14 years now and the pain has never stopped." - Cassidy Lichtman, taken from USA Volleyball article on Jan. 14, 2013
Related Links
Social Media
Last Updated: April 10, 2014
Video interview with Cassidy Lichtman and other team news
Team news from around the world
Team USA news from around the globe
Team USA news from around the world
Team news from home and abroad
Red-Blue Match Review of Feb. 28 and Preview of March 7
Pictorial match recaps, stats, bios, season analysis and much more
The latest news on the U.S. Women's National Team
All the latest news on the U.S. Women around the world
Team updates from around the world, including 2014 World Grand Prix opponents
Make a difference in someone's life
Terrific accomplishment to end 2013 season


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Neutral Milk Hotel
Performing: Neutral Milk Hotel and Laetitia Sadier
Doors Open: 7:00PM
Starts: 7:30PM
This event is for over 14s only - No refunds will be issued for under 14s.
More information about Neutral Milk Hotel tickets
Neutral Milk Hotel
Featuring Jeff Mangum, Scott Spillane, Julian Koster, and Jeremy Barnes.
NO PHOTOGRAPHY/NO VIDEO RECORDING ALLOWED. This includes all mobile phones.
What people are saying about Neutral Milk Hotel
Comments from Facebook
Lucas Beckett
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Josh Wilson
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This area is intended for discussion only. If you have a question about your order, or require customer service you can get in touch via our Customer Service Area. Comments enquiring about existing orders, including personal details, or with questions will be deleted.


text: KShortCenter: Marcellus Wiley Advocates For The Needle 7,770g1 OMatt ToderProfileFollowUnfollow O Matt ToderFiled to: SprtsCntr Espn Dadaism Video Marcellus Wiley Ben Roethlisberger Nfl News tweet 12/20/11 10:29am 12/20/11 10:29am eEditaDeleteiInviteBPromoteXDismissXUndismissbBlock for DeadspinbHideEShare to KinjajShare to FacebookiShare to TwitterrGo to permalink What is ESPN prattling on about right now? We condense your morning SportsCenter to its essence. 1 18Reply 18Discuss


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Originally Posted by wildcard_84
Is there any news on that topic. Because the switching on and off can only be considered as a workaround. Genesis 2 seems finally to work quite nicely in Poser so I would like to go on without having to subD her all the time. I made a tut picture for remembering what to do. But still ...
Blue artist needs money badly.
Ok... not a gauntlet line...
Though, currently in deepening financial crisis. Really need an influx of finances or donations, or custom commissions to help me in acquiring much needed tools and software updates. I know my artwork isn't horrible, it just seems what I do is not in demand much, which makes it harder and harder to find the motivation to do anything - especially when the tools I need are either unaffordable, or the ones I have
I've been waiting for Reality 3 for DAZ and now you say that it's no more, that it will be a cartoon renderer? Please tell me you're kidding. I can't believe it. I also had a very hard time signing in to the blog in which this was announced
I'm new to programming. Does anybody know how to use Python to import a variable such as a knee angle from poser through python and into a spreadsheet?
May be unavailable for prolonged period.
Those working with me on things, I apologize.
Depression has me again, and I am useless now as it stands because of it.


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Porto's Pereira: Man on mission continues to prove doubters wrong
Just one defeat in 49 league matches, a championship in the bag in his debut season, and top of the table in his second year as manager - yet still with something to prove. It might sound grossly unjust, crazy even, but that is precisely the position FC Porto coach Vitor Pereira finds himself in as the Dragons prepare to host Malaga in the last of the 16 Champions League on Tuesday.
- Cartlidge: Pellegrini keeping Malaga focus
- Pereira wary of Malaga threat
The unexpected departure of Andre Villas-Boas in 2011 hit Porto like a bombshell, so much so the promotion of erstwhile assistant Pereira to the top job on that same Monday was almost a footnote in the story of the dramatic switch of Jose Mourinho's ex-assistant to Chelsea.
AVB had led Porto to a magnificent season, even by their high standards, winning the Portuguese league and cup double and the Europa League, and doing so with an irresistible brand of swashbuckling football that yielded 145 goals in 58 matches.
"Andre did a superb job here and I thank him. This club will continue to prosper. It's a tough act to follow, but I was part of that act," said Pereira, standing alongside club president Pinto da Costa in his first press conference as manager. Before becoming an assistant at Porto, Pereira had enjoyed relative success at a number of lower-league clubs, most notably coming close twice to getting Azorean outfit Santa Clara promoted to the top flight in successive seasons.
Few doubted his competence as a hard-working and proficient coach, but questions remained as to his low-profile style, a perceived lack of charisma and his ability to deal with a dressing room packed with star names.
As the 2011-12 season unfolded, Porto's failure to qualify from a seemingly accessible Champions League group of Shakhtar Donetsk, Zenit St. Petersburg and Apoel Nicosia exacerbated those doubts, and as Benfica began to pull away at the table top Pereira's days at the Estádio do Dragao appeared numbered. A dramatic 3-2 victory at Benfica turned things round for Porto, whose strong finish to the campaign saw them lift yet another title - their eighth in 10 seasons.
Yet, even as the traditional street party to celebrate a Portuguese championship triumph on Porto's Avenida dos Aliados got into full swing, it was evident Pereira had not fully convinced many Porto fans he was the real deal. A suspicion that Benfica had thrown away the title rather than Porto winning it hung in the air. But the only opinion that really mattered - that of Pinto da Costa - was unequivocal.
He gave the coach his unconditional backing. Pereira himself quietly got on with his job, not letting speculation surrounding his future affect him. "When an assistant coach gets the top job at this enormous club it's only natural that people will ask questions. It's not easy replacing a coach that won as much as (Villas-Boas). I want to thank him, enjoy this moment and also dedicate it to our great president."
While winning the title undoubtedly boosted Pereira's personal capital, arguably as just important were the departures of want-away players Alvaro Pereira and Fredy Guarín, both sold to Inter Milan, the freezing out of another player seeking pastures new (Rolando), and to a lesser extent Hulk's multi-million euro move to Zenit. With a united dressing room and less focus on the Brazilian superstar, Pereira at last stepped up to his role as the chief spokesman and protagonist at the Estadio do Dragão.
This season has seen a stark contrast in his dealings with the press. Pereira fields questions with far greater confidence and authority, more in keeping with the club philosophy where domestic dominance is the only option. He has even adopted a rather unfetching unshaven appearance to go with an increased abrasiveness in relation to any unfavourable criticism, refereeing decisions and opposition jibes.
The open demonstration of steely determination matches up neatly with how he has fashioned his team. Porto have been unspectacular but rock-solid for the most part in 2012-13, the hard-working efficiency and metronomic consistency of Joao Moutinho exemplifying the nature of a side with few weaknesses. The brilliantly creative James Rodríguez and the deadly finishing of Colombian striker Jackson Martínez provide the sprinkling of stardust.
"We have the individual and collective qualities to fight through this round," Pereira said Monday, before answering a question about the importance of this match in terms of his career with the self-assurance of someone who has grown into his role.
"This is not the most important match of my career. That one is yet to come. It's an important game, and is exactly the type of game I dreamt of being involved in. I consider this the best competition in the world, with the best teams in the world. I want to play lots of these kinds of games. That's my ambition."
A win against Malaga on Tuesday and progression deeper into the tournament will surely banish any lingering doubts once and for all.
He may not be Jose Mourinho, he may not be Andre Villas-Boas, but Vítor Pereira is as deserving as his illustrious predecessors to be commanding operations from the FC Porto dugout.
Living in Lisbon since 1994, Tom Kundert first delved into Internet journalism as ESPN.com's Portugal correspondent for the 2002 World Cup. He liked the experience so much he created portugoal.net, which has become the foremost English-language website about Portuguese football. Tom now writes regularly as a Portuguese football journalist for numerous print and online publications.


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Beginning on Saturday the Carson Valley Trails Association is asking for volunteers to help with trailbuilding and maintenance. Trail work will continue during the month of March at two project locations:
All Sundays and Tuesdays at the Fay-Luther Trailhead from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
All Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at Genoa Canyon, located at the end of Carson Street in Genoa, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Trail work on the Fay-Luther Trail system will be easy to moderate, involving mostly drainage improvement work, with minor reroutes on the Interpretive, Jeffrey Pine and Grand View trails.
Work on the Genoa Trail …


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Call Us At 1.800.377.0617
Argosy University Online Programs builds on our heritage of academic excellence and individual attention in a format that can fit your busy lifestyle.
It's not too late to get started. Classes begin May 8th.
Argosy University offers a variety of degree programs in flexible learning formats including blended or campus learning.
Argosy University, Dallas
Argosy University, Dallas is located near the northern border of Texas, making it a popular college choice for students from New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and across the country. The campus is in a bustling part of the city just minutes away from shopping, restaurants, cultural, and entertainment venues.
The programs available at
Argosy University, Dallas
are as follows:
At Argosy University, Dallas we understand that many students are also juggling jobs and family, making it difficult for them to plan courses that fit their busy schedule. In order to accommodate our students' needs, we offer flexible learning formats such as evening and weekend classes as well as online courses.
Coursework at Argosy University, Dallas emphasizes interpersonal skills alongside academic learning. A large focus is put on personal improvement and development, and we are committed to creating a supportive learning environment and providing our students with numerous opportunities and resources.
*The MAEd in Educational Leadership, Principal Certification leads to Texas Education Agency Principal Certificate. All other programs offered through the College of Education DO NOT lead to teacher or administrator certification, licensure, or endorsement in any State in the United States. The programs offered through Argosy University Online Programs DO NOT lead to teacher or administrator certification, licensure, or endorsement in any State in the United States regardless of the State in which the student resides.
To learn more, click here to request information.
Two Argosy University, Sarasota Counseling Programs Receive Continued Grant of Accreditation From CACREP
The Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, has granted eight years continued accreditation to the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Doctor of Education in Counselor Education & Supervision programs at Argosy University, Sarasota
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It's time for meeting professionals to strategize, not hide. Speaking at the Sixth Annual Pharmaceutical Meeting Management Forum in Philadelphia, Christine Duffy, president and CEO, Martiz Travel, took issue with the way many companies initially responded when meetings came under media fire in late 2008. "Hoping the press doesn't take notice of your event is not a strategy," said Duffy in her keynote address at the forum, which is co-organized by Medical Meetings and the Center for Business Intelligence and runs March 14–16.
Her advice to the 800 planners and suppliers in attendance: Experiment with meaningful and different meetings that address the shift in cultural values. Make them defensible. Collect data to prove the value of meetings.
The shift will require a change in the way meeting managers operate. Planners traditionally have been evaluated on whether they come in under budget for a meeting rather than whether the meeting provided a return on investment and return on objective, said Duffy. By managing the end-to end process of the meeting—before, during, and after—rather than just the event itself, planners will see better outcomes. "We have to be able to measure ROI, and we have to be able to engage participants actively in program design, delivery, and impact. That is the only way we create a more defensible position [for this industry]," she noted.
There is a direct link between engaged employees and satisfied customers, she added, which ultimately results in bottom-line success. By establishing metrics that illustrate that link, said Duffy, CEOs "will be able to point to all the reasons why meetings matter, meetings mean business, and especially in this environment, meetings mean growth."
Another new strategy for many companies will be to hold more virtual meetings. Duffy cited data from Market Research Media that shows that the virtual conference and trade show market has more than doubled from 2008 to 2009, and that growth is expected to increase by 56 percent year over year through 2015. However, she was quick to note that technology is not a replacement for face-to-face events. "I don't think the idea of a virtual incentive trip to Hawaii gets too many sales people motivated. There is still a need to bring people together [face-to-face]."
Duffy's prediction: More companies will be looking at virtual meetings technology as a way to extend the conference message to people who were not invited or were unable to attend. "We will see more blended or hybrid events," she said.
Meanwhile, Duffy has been a strong and active voice on Capitol Hill, advocating for the meetings and travel industry. The past year has been an eye-opening experience, she said. "It was a big shock to sit down with policymakers in Washington who had no idea what we do."
She cited a study conducted last summer by the U.S. Travel Association that polled opinion leaders in Washington, D.C. When it comes to advancing policy in Washington, travel and tourism was ranked as having the lowest influence among seven umbrella industries. The financial industry was ranked the highest.
Other findings from the study:
- Fully 70 percent of respondents underestimate the number of people employed by the travel industry, but know it is large.
- Nearly two-thirds of respondents believe leisure travel is frivolous, while a full two-thirds see business travel as "necessary."
- Sixty-one percent believe the travel industry is taken less seriously because of its link to "fun and entertainment."
Despite the success Duffy and groups such as U.S. Travel have had in influencing legislation, the battle isn't over. By repositioning the meetings and travel industry, Duffy said, "we will be better prepared to respond when the next crisis happens—and it will." She urged attendees to contact their local congressmen and express how much this industry matters. She also noted that U.S. Travel has formed a new council that is focused on meetings, events, and trade shows, and will be working to prove that meetings help to create jobs and impact top-line business growth.


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April 24, 2014
Credit: TIMES-DISPATCH
July 21, 2012
The first debate of this fall's Virginia Senate race between Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican George Allen shaped up as a contentious, partisan squabble over which candidate is more partisan.
Allen opened the debate by tying Kaine to potential defense cuts of up to $500 billion that would hit Virginia disproportionately, and Kaine tagged Allen for voting in his earlier Senate term for trillions in new federal spending.
But as the debate wore on, responses inevitably returned to partisanship. Allen slammed Kaine as a lackey for President Barack Obama from two years heading the Democratic National Committee. Kaine reprised Allen's long-ago exhortation that Republicans knock Democrats "soft teeth down their whiny throats."
Kaine says Allen is a shrill partisan who voted as a senator for trillions in federal spending.
The comments sections of Newsplex.com are designed for thoughtful, intelligent conversation and debate. We want to hear from our viewers, but we only ask that you use your best judgment. E-mail is required, but will not be displayed with comment.
As a host Newsplex.com welcomes a wide spectrum of opinions. However this is a site that we host. We have a responsibility to all our readers to try to keep our comment section fair and decent. For that reason The Newsplex reserves the right to not post or to remove any comment.
If you have any ideas to improve the conversation or this section let us know. Send an e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
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Commandos: Strike Force Articles for PCOn: PC, PS2, Xbox Check Price
- Game Info
- Articles
- Review
- Videos
- Screenshots
- Downloads
- Guide
- Cheats
Eidos joins Steam revolution
Eidos Interactive has announced a deal with Valve Software to distribute games via the Steam digital delivery service.
Commandos Strike Force demo
Eidos has released a two-mission demo of Commandos Strike Force on the PC.
Commandos ready to attack retail in March
Eidos has announced that Commandos Strike Force will be released on March 17 on PlayStation 2, Xbox and PC across Europe.
Commandos: Strike Force trailer
New trailer for Eidos' next Commandos game.


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Waitress jokes aside, which Masters champion — Tiger Woods or Bubba Watson — would most likely show up at Perkins for one of its Griddle Great specials?
Wouldn't we bet all of our house money on Bubba?
Although he has escaped his dungeon of shame to re-emerge as the No. 1 golfer in the world — and hey, he's dating again! — Tiger still prefers to live in his own private prison. Tiger recently refused to talk to Sports Illustrated for a piece heralding his comeback and setting up the Masters. Symbolically, Tiger has his back to the camera in the latest SI cover.
His soundtrack, fittingly, should be one of the most annoying songs in the history of modern music: "U Can't Touch This."
Meanwhile, Bubba is all over the place. There he is tooling around in his futuristic hovercraft golf cart that can skip over water, sand and greens. There he is at an Orlando Magic game, recently nailing an underhanded shot from a spectator's seat on the baseline. There he is on Orlando's most fabled muni, Dubsdread, hitting a few shots and answering phones from folks calling for tee times.
Yep, Bubba has been getting a lot of play on ESPN over the last few days on a clip in which he joins Michael Collins, a former caddie and comedian, at Dubsdread for some blue-collar practice time. Watson is seen getting rejected when he asks to join another group of golfers, hitting some fantastic shots using right-handed rental clubs (he is left-handed), and fielding incredulous calls from people who obviously have no reason to believe that the reigning Masters champion would be answering phones at a local public golf course.
"It's definitely the talk of the town," Jessica Handlan, assistant manager at the course, said Sunday. "A lot of guests feel pretty good that they played the same course as Bubba."
In the spirit of full disclosure, Watson only played the 10th hole and teed off on No. 4. And the video was shot last October. So yes, there's a little bit of a scripted Hollywood plot theme going on, but Bubba is as real as they come.
"I'll be honest with you, I've never used a pull-cart, so I don't know how to put [the clubs] on there," he says at one point.
"Bubba was a standup guy, down to earth," Handlan said.
Would you expect anything less?
What he's got cooking for the Masters' traditional Champions' Dinner Tuesday night is still a secret, but don't be surprised if it's PB&J sandwiches or burgers and fries. Bubba is basic, a good guy (by all accounts). Tiger is secretive and complicated.
Tiger winning the Masters again will be a huge story. Bubba winning the Masters again will simply be a feel-good story we all can wrap our arms around.
There's all sorts of quirky connective tissue between two of the best golfers in the world as they prep for a showdown between the azaleas. The reigning champion can look Tiger in the eye and scream: "This is my house!"
Not only does Watson wear the green jacket that Woods covets again, but he bought Tiger's home in Isleworth. Bubba and his wife Angie closed on the house last summer and moved in recently.
Sure, Isleworth remains a mecca for professional golfers, but one of the biggest selling points for Bubba involved his son, Caleb, adopted last March when he was a month old.
"They got programs for kids, tennis camps, golf camps, family night every Wednesday night for dinner," he told Sports Illustrated recently. "They were all things we wanted to be involved in, and the golf course is really good, too, for me to practice."
A house that once belonged to a disgraced family man. A house that now belongs to a caring family man who has his priorities in order.
Why wouldn't we want to bet all of our house money on Bubba?
Read George Diaz's blog at OrlandoSentinel.com/enfuego or e-mail him at email@example.com


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Esperanto Hostel Reviews
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The rating percentage is calculated from customers who booked within the last 12 months.
All ratings and reviews are based on the feedback and opinions of the customers who submitted them and do not express the opinions of Hostelworld.com. This way, you get an up-to-the-minute opinion of just how good a hostel really is.
Read our review guidelines »
We were there during the off season, and I'm not sure if they just kind of give up during that time. No wifi, no computer, no washer dryer. Showers were flip flop worthy. Small balcony but no chairs. Safe key was broken, safe didn't work. No restaurant. We found it to be a lot more of a sad place than other Montanita hostels.
- Novice Nomad
- Anonymous
- Couple, 25-30
- (1 review)
Onsite washing machines would be nice. More than one key per room, specially if you're sharing with 4 people, would be nice. Paying an $8 fee for using a credit card is excessive. Reasonable businesses charge $0 to 2.50. Personal LOCKERS are ESSENTIAL in rooms. Mud stains could have been removed from floor.
- Novice Nomad
- Anonymous
- Mexico
- Male, 25-30
- (4 reviews)
A cool little spot - close to the beach and across the bridge from all the bars. Cleanliness wasn't the best and you get one towel for a minimum 3 night stay. Not a deal breaker at other hostels but its not the greatest when you're at the beach everyday in need of a shower before you go out to party. 8% surcharge on credit card use so bring cash.
- Novice Nomad
- mattklowak1681
- Canada
- Male, 25-30
- (5 reviews)
Nice room, mostly quiet with a good view. Staff works a lot of hours and conserves energy. No laundry service. Wifi not very effective in the rooms but acceptable in the lobby.
- Novice Nomad
- ad07841536
- Male, 41+
- (3 reviews)


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Sydney is Australia's largest and oldest city. It is the site of the first European colony in Australia, which was established in 1788 in what is now known as New South Wales. Two centuries later, 21st century Sydney is a multicultural city known for iconic structures such as the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
From the Sydney Travel Guide
More Travel Photos
Rooms are clean and comfortable and security is very good, with swipe access for most areas. I did not find staff welcoming or friendly on reception, which I thought affected the whole vibe and was disappointed that neither WiFi or luggage storage were free. Location is convenient for central station. ... more
The house is not in the best condition and the cleaniliness is due to lazy staff not the best. But the atmosphere is pleasant and you get good value for little money. it has something special ... ... more
Good staying ! But attention to the noisy people... Don't think you'll be sleeping after 7:00 a.m. Good atmosphere between people ... more
In Sydney
Anyone like to meet for a beer or 10 in Sydney? I'm here now. ...
Hey All, Anyone planning on heading out to Sydney Mid November? travelling on my own and would like to meet with like minded people. Looking at finding work in Sydney for a year, maybe spend time in Melbourne too. Laura ...
hey! Any great tours that are a must of anything around sydney since i will be spending about my first three weeks there in feb! ...
We landed in Sydney in one piece after a 4am start. We found our hostel in the lovely quirky ...
Posted in loodersatlarge by Loodersatlarge
Australia Part 3
of Australia in Sydney we had two days left of the Contiki tour and then we were on our own. The first thing we ...
Posted in Jen and Tony around the world by Jen-Tony
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras, Sydney 2007 ...
Posted in Australia Tour by Ramsevik
What's more important to you?Price Popularity


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Should students have to pass state algebra exam to graduate?by Opinion Staff
On Friday the Florida Department of Education released a slew of results from high-stakes tests, including results from the new algebra end-of-course test that has replaced the high school math FCAT.
The test might have changed, but its importance hasn't. Students had to pass the math FCAT to be eligible to graduate. Now they have to pass the algebra test.
Most students take algebra 1 before finishing 10th grade, though many take it as early as 8th grade and many others take it their freshman year.
In Palm Beach County, 68 percent of students who took the algebra 1 test in the spring passed it, four percentage points higher than the statewide average.
Still, that's a lot of students who didn't pass.
The state had planned to make students pass geometry and biology end-of-course tests to graduate. But the Legislature modified that requirement. Students still have to pass those courses, but the state-administered end-of-course test is counted as 30 percent of the grade. So it's possible to fail the state test but still pass the course and graduate.
That approach blends student performance throughout the year with results of a high-stakes test. Advocates say it is more fair to students who have a hard time with high-stakes tests. Others say it is too open to grade inflation by teachers eager to help more of their students pass – which will affect their evaluation.
What do you think? Should students have to pass the state algebra exam to graduate? Take our poll and/or leave a comment.
Tags: Algebra, bnblogs, high-stakes tests


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Applause to every individual who took part in the tremendous rescue effort at the scene of a tourist train's collision with a logging truck on Cheat Mountain Friday afternoon. Longtime emergency workers said they had never seen such a strong spirit of cooperation among a huge group of law enforcement agencies, fire departments and emergency medical service agencies. Everyone involved deserves our gratitude and deep respect.
Applause to the Elkins Youth Football and cheerleading teams, who are hosting a fundraising event for the family of South Harrison High School football player Dylan Jeffries today. The teams and cheerleaders will be at Wimer Stadium from 1 to 9 p.m. with fundraising jars. Money collected will go to the Jeffries family to offset medical costs for Dylan, who passed away Sunday night after collapsing during a game on Sept. 27. Individuals interested in making a donation and unable to do so in person can send checks made out to Elkins Youth Football in care of Jim Poyner, 15 Locust St., Elkins.
Boo to those who made things difficult for all of us during the Mountain State Forest Festival this year, creating needless litter and leaving trash on the streets for the city of Elkins to clean up. In conjunction with this boo, we applaud all the city workers who so quickly transformed downtown Elkins from an unsightly mess last Saturday evening to a sparkling-clean city by Sunday morning. They pull off this quick-change trick every October, and all Elkins residents appreciate their efforts.
Boo to Mother Nature, who blessed us with fine weather during the Forest Festival but now has turned fickle. This week we experienced the first seriously cold temperatures of this fall, giving us a small but unwanted taste of winter. There are even whispers of predictions of snow for late next week. Boo, hiss!


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panchoandleftey is a blog all about houston.
(my favorite city in the world)
it was started in january 2012 by my bff and i. it has since evolved; waxed and waned over time. panchoandleftey is now proudly created and edited by me, DENA.
check back every monday for a weekly event calendar of cheap/FREE things to do inside the 610 loop, and make your plans accordingly.
see you around our city,
Copyright 2014
Vigilance Theme by The Theme Foundry


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Many schools in Nebraska are now buying local fruits and vegetables for their school food programs. Farmers can learn how to participate in these growing "farm to school' initiatives in a series of free training sessions. "Farmers can access an increasing market for fresh produce while providing healthy food to children in their community," said Wyatt Fraas, lead trainer for the project. "At these sessions, farmers will learn what schools Read more »
February 21st, 2014
Farm to School Training Seminars
January 27th, 2014
One Townhome Available
The townhomes in John Subdivision will be completed in February 2014. One townhome has already been sold and one is still available! These are located in a quiet neighborhood close to schools and Petersen Park. You can view the Flyer here.
Please contact the Sherman County Economic Development office at 308-745-5040 or email@example.com to tour the townhomes. Hurry, this one won't last long!
Exceptional Quality of Life
Sherman County, Nebraska, and Loup City, in particular, are great places to do business and live. With our unmatched quality of life, small town friendliness and pace of life, you can't beat living here. Why don't you take a quick tour through our web site and see for yourself. Whether you want a place to come visit and enjoy great hunting and fishing, or would like a perfectly located place to raise a family or to retire, you'll want to check out Sherman County.


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Director of Marketing:
Irene Lewis Motts
Ext. 4275
Communications / Web Specialist:
Michael Ihrig
Ext. 4299
Staff Writer:
Lori Williams
Ext. 4987
Social Media Resources
SSC In the News
Stark State trains future oil, gas workers - cantonrep.com
Stark State energy campus offers "room to grow" - cantonrep.com
Stark State's satellite campus to focus on oil and gas - IndeOnline.com
Tapping the Utica Shale: 'It really is all here' - IndeOnline.com
Stark State to tap grant for shale-related training - cantonrep.com
Para Jones takes over as new Stark State president - cantonrep.com
Stark State College caps 50th anniversary - cantonrep.com
Gates Foundation to invest millions in Stark State - cantonrep.com


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It's Hatched!
Now's your chance to spread your wings and head to one of five popular destinations—all at a whopping 80% off savings! DealChicken says you can book a room for two in one of these fun-filled places: Daytona Beach, Gatlinburg, Hilton Head, Branson or Orlando. Your hotel will be selected at booking based upon availability. It's a fun way to explore a new area or return to a favorite locale without breaking your bank account. Hotels include: Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa in Orlando, Florida, Westgate Branson Woods in Branson, Missouri, River Terrace Resort & Convention Center in Gattlinburg, Tennessee, Park Lane Hotel & Suites in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Comfort Inn in Hilton Head, South Carolina, Oceanside Inn in Daytona Beach, Florida, Coral Sands in Omond Beach, Florida, and Holiday Inn in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Today's deal is sponsored by The Welcome Center, an 18 year strong, A-rated BBB Seller of Travel, and not the individual resorts & hotels. Please DO NOT contact the resorts/hotels directly, as they will not be able to assist you. The Welcome Center is a registered Seller of Travel, FL Registration No. ST37782
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No. 16, Binhai Road, Beidaihe District • Qinhuangdao, Hebei 066100 • China • Map • Contact Us • Phone: (86)(335) 428 1111 • Fax: (86)(335) 428 2222
Feel confident knowing that you will always get the best available rate at Sheraton Qinhuangdao Beidaihe Hotel. If you do find a lower published rate prior to, or within 24 hours of, booking your room, simply submit a Best Rate Guarantee Claim to us and we'll honor the lower rate. It's now easier than ever with our online claim form. We'll also give you an additional 10% discount or 2,000 Starpoints®. Guaranteed. Plus:
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NAIAS 1st day reveals
Published On: Jan 14 2013 08:16:51 PM EST Updated On: Jan 14 2013 08:54:20 PM EST
Day 1 of NAIAS press week full of reveals
The first day of press week at the North American International Auto Show was full of some exciting new cars. The days reveals came from companies like Jeep, Chevrolet, Lincoln, Honda, Maserati and many more.
The views expressed are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the Terms of Service and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms.


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I have been wanting to do this blog for a while. You see no one really told me when I first started out any particularly good file workflow. As I have stumbled thru different attempts I have evolved to something logical and repeatable, and thought it might help out a fellow photographer or two….
First, It goes without saying you need to ingest your images into your computer with a date naming convention for the folder and the contents. In the example above, 20100627 is the date of the shoot, 01149 is the image number for the day, and NY is the state and Rhinebeck is the subject. That is simple and basic….And I think a lot of people are doing that or something similar…Next you'll have all your Images in a big old Master Hard drive somewhere….But perhaps the day will come when you'll evolve to bring them out from your vault to answer the Million dollar question. What are you going to do with those Images ???
Answer: SHARE THEM.
So let's establish a work flow to get only those special Images that you want to share, out into the world .
Start a Blog, Gallery, Flicker, Google+, but your on the right path…do something with those beauties….
- You are going to be around for awhile.. so your first set of folders will be YEARS
- You subFolder will be your post date and description i.e. 02/01/12 Rhinebeck TP Slicing
- You now are going to create three subfolders
Subfolder 1: Source
This is a copy of your original NEF. There is not debating that Capture NX2 has the Nikon secret sauce for Raw conversion so open your NEF and save to SOURCE Folder, then save as TIFF and also save to Source folder. The TIFF has baked in raw settings such as sharpening,White Balancing and Picture Control; i.e. Vivid, Standard, Neutral. I then open up the TIFF in PS5, I usually forgo going into ACR, but I may if only to tweak a bit further. I just keep in mind that I have already baked in a few parameters in NX2.
Subfolder 2: Working
After I open the Image in Photoshop I'll save immediately to the working folder, usually as a large document format .PSB. If I have created any Lab color saturation Photoshop files or HDR conversions, or image harvesting, alignment etc,etc it all goes here. If I want to get to my working files, I know where and what they they are by using prefix, i.e. LAB_xxxx, HDR_xxxxx
Subfolder 3; Share
- This is the fun part…where do your share your images. I suggest that you find a few places and create specific folders. In my case, because I goto the web, I created an action to resize and save as sRGB, 8bit, Jpeg. and put that in a PREWEB folder.
- Then I open up that image and process it thru the Photoshop's Save for Web, why? more secret sauce and optimization and compression and it strips metadata about all your image info from prying eyes.. I then rename the file with its web posting title and save that in the WEB folder.
- There is more sharing of coarse, I have another action for setting up parameters for the Image to go to my Gallery Folder,
- Then finally Images that are printed go into the PRINT folder as flattened PSD with the size LXW in the name……..
That's it…..1. Source, 2. Working 3. Share it could not be any simpler and you'll soon be able to rapidly go to a specific Image in your workflow in a moments notice…
Extra Credit: Photoshop – File/Save for Web – Highlighted arrows are my settings-


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Franklin >Restaurants >
Pizza >Jack's Pizza of Franklin
1168 N Main St, Franklin, IN | Directions 4613139.491605 -86.061009
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Finding the lighting solutions you need might be simple at Bulbs.com, but buying them is even easier.
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Lighting Science Group 8 Watt dimmable lamp generates as much light as many 50 Watt halogen EXZ MR-16 lamps.
Perfect to use anywhere you are using a 50 Watt MR-16 halogen lamp
No lead or mercury means easy and environmentally safe disposal
525 Lumens initial light output is comparable to many 50 Watt halogen lamps, while saving 42 Watts in electricity
VERY long life - rated to still put out 70% as much light after 25,000 hours of operation as it does when brand new
CHECK PRODUCT FIT BEFORE INVESTING IN MANY - Product May Not Fit in Your Fixture. Also, NOT RECOMMENDED for use in enclosed fixtures because heat buildup can shorten life.. DO NOT "hot swap" this lamp. Turn off fixture before replacing existing bulb.
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Comments about Lighting Science Group 8 Watt, DIMMABLE LED MR16 Lamp with GU5.3 Base:
I'm just experimenting by replacing my current halogen bulb with LED bulbs. I have lots of fixtures about 15 feet off of the floor and hate replacing my halogens. I want to see how much longer the LED bulbs last. The only problem is that they are expensive.
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Home » Beginners » Beginner Close-up
In this great little kit there are over 25 really cool tricks that anyone can do! Included are the Baffling Ball Vase, Color Vision, Runaway Ring, Magic Window, Dizzy Compass, Jumping Thimble and many more!
All Fantasma Magic kits come with the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Magicians, the largest magic organization in the world. For ages 5 and up.
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